The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-09-23
Wages in japan.
THE PAY ASKED BY JAPANESE LABoRERs
FOR AN INFERIOR KIND OF WORK.

Since the table of wages in Toxic
given in the third report of the royal
commission appointed to inquire into
the causes of the depression Of trade
and industry, is apt to be taken as 1t
stands by the outside world, shall
give few facts of such tradesmen as
l have had dealings with.
Carpenters 40 to so cents. The
first figure is out of all question. For
about a year / employed a carpenter
off and on at so cents day--that is
when time permitted. He would be-
gin work at 9 a. m, "work" till 6 p. m.
aud devote about three hours day to
smoking and thinking-he was great
thinker in his way-and eating, and
the work he did in the remaining six
hours with the awkward toys that pass
for tools here, an English or an Amer
ican carpenter would do in one hour,
which brings a Japanese carpenters
wages to 60 cents per hour,o or taking the
day at eight working, hours to 81. 80 per
day. And l have employed carpenters
at rs cents and ST. per day with the
same result.
Plasterers, As to IS cents per day;
to be had at that rate at about a
weeks notice. The year before last I
had to employ two plasterers to repair
a place in the wall of house where a
piece of plaster of about two feet
square had fallen out. The two artists
turned up at 10 a. m, and, sitting down
upon couple of empty wine-cases, lit
their pipes. At about 1890 a. m. one
of them approached the damaged
place within yard, took mental
photograph of it and sat down. At
II q. m. mutual friend appeared, who
was warmly welcomed, and, after
smoking a pipe or two, amused them
by standing on his head, and by that
time they had got very hungry and
made pause of two hours for tiffin.
Pipes again. Then the one who had
carefully sounded the wall knocked
another piece of plaster down. Pipes
again. BY 5 p. m. they had made the
hole about three times its original size,
and were so thoroughly exhausted that
they left off. Next day stray drop
of water, wherever it may have come
from, lighted on one fellows nose and
make them conclude it was going to
rain, 80 that no work could be done in
the afternoon. Well, to cut matters
short, those two square feet of plaster
that is river mud-cost me So. An
English or American plasterer would
have sent one of his boys and boxed
his ears if he did not come back in an
hour.
Painters-space will not permit to
go through the whole lst-25 to 35
cents per day. have some work for
a painter at present, and am willing
to give 40 cents per day, but the man
will not work under SO cents, and says
it will take him eight or ten days to do
the job. Now, estimate the time in
which the work can be done ard
should be done-and there are but few
things but that I have done myself-at
two aud one-half or three days time of
nine working hours, SO that would be
paying at the rate of $3.50 to $l.66
per day, and have things at skies and
sevens for more than week
could give instances of the same
kind ad intinitum, but then the cour-
tesy of newspaper editors does not and
can not extend to writing books in the
columns of their papers, and if / have
thrust forward few hard facts here,
have done so from from the reason
that those who contemplate trying
their chances in this country in the
near future may not be misled and
afterward cry out in the bitterness of
their disappointment that they have
been deceived, and become blind to
much that is good and to be appreci
ated in japan. l am not thus disap
pointed-this to guard myself against
any such suspicion-for l have re.
turned to Japan of my own free will,
knowing all this, and much that
have said here and much of similar i'm
port l have said to those whom tn,
King has delighted to honor yet an
as welcome at their palaces or resi-
dences as ever l was. l may hope
therefore, that the reason l have jus
given for making these remarks will b,
accepted, all the more as my breac
would very probably be buttered mucl
thicker on the other side.-Japan Mail